Bears linebacker also says he will miss Tommie Harris

Last year, Bears linebacker Lance Briggs told us he would be amenable to an 18-game regular-season schedule.

But now he has changed his position.

"Obviously I want to play football, but I know that the (NFLPA) is working for what we are fighting for," Briggs told us Friday from Arizona "As far as the 18 games and everything else goes … I guess when I spoke before, I always assumed that was the way things were going to be. But if we don't have to play 18 games, a lot of people would be happier about that, just for the fact of health reasons."

When football does return, Briggs said he will miss defensive tackle Tommie Harris, whom the Bears released.

"We know the business and we know that one day we all won't be together," Briggs said. "It was tough to see Alex (Brown) go last year, and now it is tough to see that Tommie is not going to be there in the locker room and sharing laughs. I have been in Chicago ever since Tommie was drafted, and we developed a relationship on and off the field. That's how football players grow, being able to trust that man next to you to do his job."

Regarding the labor impasse, Briggs said: "A lot of people suffer by the owners locking out the players. I think it is one of the worst things that can happen, especially at this time when everything is going on. It's a special game and I think that this is something that can be worked out and will be worked out."